Making Surprise
by Moonlight M3lody
Summary: Ever since her fight with Kuchinawa, Sheena had been a bit different, and it came to Zelos' attention. Determined to cheer her up, he finally got the chance when the party stopped by Meltokio. Sheelos


**Making Surprise**

Zelos was glad he could compel his companions to stop at Meltokio for a rest before retrieving his Cruxis Crystal from Seles. Not just that he saw hints of exhaustion and stress on their face after all that happened in Heimdall and those shocking revelations, but the fact that Sheena almost didn't talk at all since the event with Kuchinawa worried him the most. Except for certain important occasions, she didn't join the usual campfire talk, nor initiate any conversation during their walk. Even their usual banter seemed somewhat dull compared to before.

He wanted to cheer her up. He didn't care what it takes. He should use this diminutive time to come up with something.

Eventually, it dawned on him. He could use _that_. He just hoped that his mouth wouldn't betray him this time.

"Um, er, Sheen, would you-would you go to a picnic with me?"

It took his courage to ask, and he did his best to shut his mouth for any unnecessary words. He carefully looked up, examining her respond.

She rolled her eyes. Great.

"Idiot Chosen, what're you coming up to?"

She diverted her gaze to the stairs. _Not even looking at me. Couldn't I succeed, for once?_

"Nothing. A picnic invitation, no less, and no **more**. I promise."

His tone was desperate now, but his face remained calm. His fingers, deep down his pocket, fidgeting. Sheena sighed. Collete and Presea was still asleep, Lloyd strolled the town, while Regal, Raine, and Genis went to Meltokio's Elemental Research Academy. After brief mind-fighting over all possibilities that could be happened if she accepted or refused, she let out a sigh.

"Fine. I might be crazy, but yes."

He couldn't be happier.

"Don't make me regret my decision."

He would make sure he doesn't.

"Then, it's settled. Meet me at 5, at the sewers. Ya know, the one leading outside?"

"Nice place to eat, don't you think?"

He sweatdropped, silently making an attempt to find better words.

"We won't eat in Meltokio. There's a better place I found sometime ago."

"And the purpose of meeting in the sewers?"

"Do you want my rabid fangirls accompany our meal?"

She scowled. So much for a picnic.

Sebastian checked his master's work, smiling at his effort. "Not bad, Master Zelos, but you could use some help, I think." The half peeled apple lying passively on the kitchen table, only to be snatched a second after by the enthusiast red hair.

With the 'Tick-tock' pounding knife thud at the background he replied the loyal butler. "No need, Sebastian. Thanks anyway for your concern."

Now that he managed to ask her out without saying anything stupid, and she managed to accept it, he must work for it. Real hard.

And it better make her smile too, or at least succeeding in diverting her mind Kuchinawa, and let her lessen the pressures.

Sebastian nodded, secretly smiled proudly to his young master. The group he traveled with has brought back his long-lost cheerfulness, especially one of them. He was glad for it, that he has real friends, and his sincere smile could be seen more often now.

Zelos listened to his butler's instructions, while checking on his progress at the same time. It was ridiculously hard, for he spent half of his provisions to make sure he did everything perfectly. Hours of sweat, grumbles, and sighs passed, and finally the time had come.

Sheena followed him to the city's outskirts. She eventually doubted his so called 'better place' when they strided around Meltokio's borders, then stepping in its territory again, neither from the main gate nor the sewers entrance, but sneaking through narrow pathway leading to the slum instead. He led her through alleyway, went so many lefts and rights that she didn't really sure at which part of Meltokio they were now.

He stopped before a big bush behind the forest of slum houses belonged to low class Meltokians, and rubbed it carefully. Sheena wasn't sure what were he trying to do; however, the man in her company seemed to know. In one firm stroke, he bust open the secret entrance, revealing, she gasped, a garden surrounded by dozens of flowers and trees. In the middle were an ivory white table and two chairs.

Zelos dropped their picnic basket on the table. After that, he set the chairs so they could face each other whilst giving her time to look around. Her first impression was positive, he thought, and he hoped the rest of day would be smooth.

"How-how could there be a garden and no one seemed to-?" she picked a lily an inhaled its scent.

"It was abandoned. Sebastian and I stumbled upon this place somewhere around last year, and we fixed this place. Quite nice, don't you think so?" he grinned at her reactions, naturally different from her usual rigid persona.

"For once, you impressed me,"she commented, hands on the chair's shoulder. She pulled it and sat right away. She blushed as he grinned. "Yeah, I meant it." Quickly deflected the topic, she turned her eyes to their picnic basket. "Smells nice."

"Why, thank you, Milady." He arranged a stack of sandwiches, and two cups of apple juice. "Not so much, but I hope you enjoy 'em." He waited until Sheena took a slice before taking his share.

"It is delicious indeed. A bit different than Sebastian's regular recipe, but still good nonetheless."

Zelos chuckled, biting his own sandwich before continued,"Thank you so much."

Her eyebrows were tauted. "You made these?"

"Yup."

"But," she was loss of words. "I tasted your cooking a few times before and nowhere as good as this. Only a level above Raine, actually."

He laughed at her honesty. "I admit that. Sebastian watched me all the way, and gave me a bunch of complicated instructions that apparently I forgot that I just wanted to make sandwiches and nothing like,"he paused, closing his eyelids."Mont Blanc?" He suggested.

"It turned out very well, huh? Though please don't compare these to his."

She liked the meals, and on top of that, the one sitting in front of her now. He almost couldn't believe he was her 'Idiot Chosen'. Her thoughts were interrupted suddenly.

"Wait a while. It really worth seeing."

He gave her a glint within his eyes, gazing mysteriously to the sky. She was about to ask when she caught red tint crept upon the horizons, slowly painted the azure to a magnificent twilight orange. Speck of crimson swiftly following through.

"Oh, wow."

"I told ya. Wonderful, isn't it?"

She was rendered speechless.

"I-actually didn't believe I would say this, but- I truly appreciate this."

He smiled warmly."Glad to see you loosened up. I mean, the looks in your face lately, it worried me."

_He worried about her?_

_And he set everything up to make her happy, so she could be back to herself?_

"Sheen?"

_He was full of surprise._

Tears formed under her eyes.

"Sheena?" He called.

Did he do something wrong?

She tried her best to fought back the tears so she could say it.

_She would like to see more._

"Zelos…Thank you…"

A/n: Got the idea short while after finishing Harmonious Bind(Thanks for the reviews. Love you, guys! And girls too^^! LOL. I wanted to make this a short, fluffy fic, but it turned out to be longer, and probably not as cute as I thought… Give me your feedback, though. I appreciate all of you sparing your time to read this. Have a nice day!


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